How the Winters Change
by Ashitheviolinist
Summary: Mikoto Uchiha was always an exceptional Uchiha. Watch her move through her life with all the grace and anger necessary for a jonin bound Konoha shinobi.


A/N: **I decided to write this fanfiction about Mikoto for two reasons. 1. She has the potential to be an extremely badass character, and there is absolutely no light shined on her 2. I read One Small Kindness by DigitalTart and I was INSPIRED (check it out, it's amazing).**

 **I'm so sorry for my initial error that made this fic practically illegible. Hope you can read it now!**

Mikoto caressed the snow-coated rose with gentle fingers. She had just finished a brutal training session and was sitting in the snow cooling off. Mikoto loved winter. She loved the cold, soothing wind that brushed against her cheeks, and the soft crunch of snow under her feet.

Mikoto lay on her back in the snow, gazing at the pure blue sky. Her jet black hair was coated in the fine white snow and her face was red from the cold, but she didn't mind. If she was going to be a jounin and the best genjutsu master ever, she'd have to be able to endure some cold.

She heard quick footsteps approaching behind her, snapping her out of her peaceful daze. A red haired Uzumaki fell lightly onto Mikoto's stomach.

"Come on Mikoto!" Kushina whined playfully, "You said you'd spar with me before the genin exams!"

"You're just going to lose." Mikoto sighed, brushing the snow off of her tunic, "It's no use. I'm the top of the class, and you're dead last."

"It'll be fun." She insisted, pulling the Uchiha to her feet. "Just one round."

Mikoto sighed and nodded her head apprehensively. Knowing Kushina, there was no "one round". The only thing that motivated her enough to agree was: the more times she sparred and practiced, the sooner she'd become a jonin.

X

Mikoto tied her hitaite firmly around her head. She was a ninja now.

She had passed the genin test with flying colors, giving her the title of "top rookie". The day had gone perfectly. All that was left, was finding out her team.

"Kushina Uzumaki, Katsuro Yuhi, and Mikoto Uchiha." Her Academy instructor recited, "Your instructor will be Sakumo Hatake, go to room 28 to meet him."

Mikoto sighed. She was stuck with Kushina, the hyperactive, dead-last Uzumaki, and Katsuro. Katsuro seemed to be a painstakingly average shinobi. No special talents or kekkei genkai, just decent enough smarts to get through the Academy without failing.

Sakumo entered the room. He didn't smile or frown, instead he had a forlorn look plastered on his face, and eyes that reflected great torment.

"Hatake-sensei." Mikoto bowed respectfully.

Sakumo took almost no notice. "So you are my genin team." He muttered monotonously, "Please introduce yourself."

"I'm Kushina Uzumaki!" Kushina exclaimed, "I wanna be the first female Hokage and show everyone that I'm awesome!"

Sakumo nodded slowly. "Your accent…" he started, "You come from Uzushiogakure correct?"

Kushina smiled and brandished an enthusiastic thumbs-up.

"My name's Katsuro Yuhi." Katsuro said quietly, "I like history and painting nature."

"I'm Mikoto Uchiha. I want to become a powerful jounin, and be the best genjutsu master."

X

"Shinobi do not shed tears!" Mikoto chastised Katsuro for his blatant show of emotion, "We're in the chunin exams, pull yourself together!"

"I-I'm scared Mikoto…" Katsuro whimpered, the kunai in his hand shaking.

"Get over it." She hissed, "You signed up for this, now don't hold us back."

Katsuro shivered in the cold winter wind. Maybe I shouldn't have signed up for this. He thought remorsefully. I'm not ninja material am I.

"Katsuro!" Mikoto snapped again, "Kushina's being more mature than you! If you're not going to fight, get behind me and stay out of the way."

Mikoto brought her katana down in a vicious arc, slicing through the Iwagakure genin. She wove several rapid-fire handsigns and cast a genjutsu on the enemy. Kushina jumped towards Mikoto.

"Hey that was some actually decent teamwork!" She exclaimed patting the Uchiha violently on the back.

"It would have been better if Katsuro hadn't chickened out." Mikoto re-sheathed her sword and extracted the scrolls from the enemy ninja.

"Oh boy," Kushina started, "We're not done… a group of six Sunagakure ninja are coming this way. You think we can take them?"

"I-I don't think-" Katsuro started.

"Like hell we can." Mikoto's sharingan blazed as she charged at the enemy ninja head on.

X

Kushina and Mikoto held their flak vests proudly. For the first time in their friendship, Mikoto had laughed at one of Kushina's jokes. She had even reciprocated one of her pranks. She was a chunin now, only one step away from being a jonin. Katsuro stood by his teammates. He hadn't passed the chunin exams like the other two, and they were girls. He must be really weak.

"Hey Katsuro." Mikoto started, smiling lightly. "I'm sorry I was so harsh to you during the exams. If you ever want someone to spar with while you train for the next exams, I'd be happy to help."

Katsuro thought about the offer. He had barely made it through the first two tests. Mikoto and Kushina had practically dragged him through them, fighting all his enemies for him. Without those two, he would've failed within two minutes. "Sure."

Mikoto smiled. It was still winter, and the snow was glistening. "Kushina!" She exclaimed, "Let's go get some ramen."

Kushina gave a signature grin. "Yeah!" She ran over to Mikoto. "Let's celebrate!"

X

She was fifteen now. Marriage was approaching quickly. Winter was the best time to plan a wedding so that it would be ready in the spring. In fact, most of her female cousins had already planned their weddings. It was about time for her to retire as a shinobi and learn the ways of raising children, but Mikoto refused. She had worked so hard to get where she was and the title of jonin was in arms reach. All of her goals were about to be realized. After all, many of the Uchiha had scolded her mother for creating such a genius daughter instead of a son. She stood at full height (still barely making 5'5) and looked her father dead in the eye.

"I'm a shinobi." She stated, her voice unwavering. "The duty of a shinobi is to protect their village. I am one of the strongest genjutsu users in Konoha. My skill is needed. I will not give up my career for something I am far too young to do anyway."

"Disrespectful child!" Her father snapped. "This is tradition! You are a woman, you were born a woman. And women will follow tradition and listen to the men in their lives. Do you understand?"

"No father I don't." Mikoto's eyes didn't stray from her father's. "Why should I be forced to blindly follow the men in my life? Do your genitals give you magical women controlling power? Why can't I think for myself? It's widely known that I am one of the strongest Uchiha in my generation. I'm stronger than most of the men. Why do you disregard this?"

"You have a duty to the clan! Your duty is to raise the next generation and to provide me with progeny."

Mikoto clenched her teeth. There was no way she could convince her father to let her live her life. He was much too stubborn and proud of his reasoning. "Fine father." Mikoto forced out. "I'll marry. Not for you, but for the sake of the Uchiha clan. Under one condition."

Mikoto's father raised his eyebrows suspiciously. "Go ahead, state you terms."

"My terms are that I will be allowed to make tokubetsu jonin rank and remain in active duty until my first child."

He nodded his head begrudgingly, glaring at his daughter. Insolent child. He thought. Thinking that she can break tradition just because she is slightly above average for a woman.

X

Mikoto and Kushina both rejoiced at their newly appointed jounin status. Kushina had stepped up her game as a shinobi big time, proving to be one of the strongest in her generation. Her mastery of chakra chains and fuinjutsu were unrivaled. She was the only Uzumaki in the leaf village after all.

Mikoto was no slouch either. After the promise she had made her father, she doubled her training regimen, trying to prove that her strength went beyond her gender.

The only downside of her new status was Fugaku. Their marriage was scheduled to occur in less than a month now, and Mikoto still hadn't met her husband-to-be.

The days before their meeting breezed by far too quickly for Mikoto's taste. Her life had become a series of things she needed to put off.

Fugaku was a typical male Uchiha. He held his head high and looked at Mikoto with a condescending and almost pitying look.

"So you are Mikoto Uchiha?" He asked. "I do hope you're ready to represent the Uchiha well. You will be the heiress of the Uchiha."

"Does the heiress do anything but clean up after her husband?" She asked menacingly. Fugaku half nodded. "Am I nothing but a glorified maid?"

"No you are not a maid." He replied, speaking as if she was a clueless schoolgirl. "You are not a maid, but you are still a wife. Once you become the heiress, whatever shinobi status you had is no longer pertinent."

"I worked hard for my rank." Mikoto snarled, "My genjutsu capabilities far exceed yours even. Why should the rank I worked my entire life for be disregarded?"

Fugaku sighed, his patronizing look unwavered. "There is no use in fighting tradition my dear." He stated, "Our wedding will be in December. I believe you'll look beautiful."

X

The snow almost didn't fall that winter. Mikoto had looked longingly out her window praying for the glimmering snow to fall from the sky. She longed for something to make her winter more bearable. Kushina was off on a long-term mission with the love of her life and Katsuro was visiting the lighting country with his mother.

The day of her wedding came barreling at her like a train. Before she knew it, she was dressed in her wedding kimono and walking down the aisle.

Fugaku looked at her with a genuine smile. "You look gorgeous." He whispered, taking her hand.

Mikoto reciprocated the smile. Fugaku wasn't evil, he was far from it. He wasn't abusive either. He was just a typical Uchiha man, raised the way all Uchiha men were. He was taught to look down on women and disregard their skill. And he was taught to expect everything from his wife, from cooking to defending him when he was blatantly wrong. The life of a submissive wife was not for Mikoto, she wanted some power, some say in things.

The vows were made, and the promises of eternal love together resounded throughout the hall. There was no turning back. Fugaku looked at Mikoto with an endearing look. How he could feel so much love for her after only a month of off-and-on correspondence, Mikoto didn't know. What she did know, was that no matter how terrible the traditions for women were, Mikoto would be loved. That didn't stop Mikoto from muttering a vicious "fuck that" after hearing the terms and conditions of the Clan Head's wife.

The day they moved in together, snow began to fall.

X

Turns out, Mikoto was a terrible housewife. Kushina's temper had rubbed off on her, and she found herself yelling at Fugaku for not picking up after himself, earning her several severe scoldings from Fugaku and her father. Mikoto didn't give a crap though. Her stubborn personality convinced Fugaku into letting her stay in active shinobi duty. Much to Mikoto's dismay, he also expected a clean house at all times and dinner on the table, forcing Mikoto to hire a maid and order takeout more times than she'd like to admit. Her favorite season quickly became the most difficult one to manage. Konoha had been plagued with heavy snowfall, making takeout, and leaving the house in any way, rather difficult.

Mission requests were heavy in the winter as well, and crime was up. Both Mikoto and Fugaku were busy fulfilling their needs as a Konoha jonin and Police Chief, making them both rather irritable. The amount of fights they got into increased, usually ending up in one, or both, of them taking a trip to the Uchiha training grounds more than ready to destroy some shit. Their training sessions were often cut short because of the looming threat of frostbite. Mikoto was beginning to despise winter, and she hated that she did. She wanted to love it like she had before, but in this new life, how could she?

X

Her quick hatred of winter was squished like a bug underfoot when she received exciting news two years later. She had suspected something had happened after a particularly memorable love-making session a few weeks before the result, but decided not to bring it up to Fugaku.

She sat in the doctor's office awaiting the result. Fugaku held her hand tightly, his eyes filled with hope. The doctor opened the door grinning from ear to ear.

"Missus Uchiha, I have some good news." She announced, laying her clipboard on her desk. "You are pregnant."

Fugaku chuckled heartily. "I hope he brings great honor to the Uchiha clan!"

"It could be a girl honey." Mikoto replied sweetly, caressing her belly.

"I can feel it. It'll be a boy."

The doctor looked on happily at the couple's affectionate disagreement. "Go to the front desk and schedule an ultrasound. Then you'll be able to find out who's right."

Fugaku spoke to the receptionist adimately, trying to find the earliest possible day for the ultrasound.

The next nine months were the best months Mikoto had spent with Fugaku. He ended up showing his awkward doting side more often and gave her a reprise from housework, doing most of it himself.

"So what names have you thought of honey?" Mikoto asked, rubbing her now swollen feet.

Summer had just arrived and the results of the ultrasound had been in for a while. Much to Fugaku's delight, it was a boy.

"Hmm," he started, looking up from the paper, "I was thinking Izuna or Itachi."

"After Madara Uchiha's brother?" Mikoto asked quizzically, "Why?"

"Unlike his brother, Izuna was a kindhearted man who was more peace oriented. I hope our son will be like that. I do prefer Itachi though, from my grandfather. He too was a good man."

"Let's go with Itachi then." Mikoto agreed, planting a quick kiss on Fugaku's lips.

And like that, the name was settled. There was no argument, no compromises, just a name.

X

Itachi's birth was as easy as his naming. The labor was less than an hour, making Mikoto rather overjoyed.

It was late fall, almost winter, and Itachi was the dream child. He hardly cried, and never got himself into trouble. When Kushina and Minato came to visit, he didn't shed a tear while being caressed by Kushina. Kushina looked once at the baby and gave Mikoto a slightly forlorn look.

"What's wrong Kushina?" Mikoto asked worriedly, reaching for her newborn.

"Nothing!" Kushina replied, patting Itachi gently on the head. "I don't know, I just got a sad feeling for some reason. Itachi's really cute though!"

Mikoto chuckled lightly, something nagged in the back of her mind. Something about Uzumakis…

Itachi's childhood went smoothly. Mikoto had to retire from active duty as promised, but she still took the occasional mission if Konoha was particularly short on jounin.

Itachi seemed to resemble Mikoto more and more every day. He had her kind eyes and her fierce love for winter. The only time he showed obvious joy was while frolicking in the snow with his mother.

X

Mikoto threw a loosely packed snowball lightly at her four year old son. He already possessed the skills of a shinobi, and blocked it with agility far above the average for a four year old.

"You missed me mama!" He exclaimed playfully, bombarding his mother with well aimed snow projectiles.

"How am I supposed to hit such an agile young shinobi?" She asked, scooping him off his feet and carrying him inside for hot chocolate.

Fugaku sat at the table, sipping deeply from a mug.

"Itachi, let's talk." He said, gesturing to the cushion across from him.

Itachi sat down obediently. "Yes father." He replied.

"You will be the next head of the Uchiha clan, so I think it is a good idea to start your shinobi training now."

"He's only four!" Mikoto interrupted.

"Silence." Fugaku hissed, "Itachi, we will begin our training tomorrow. You may leave." Itachi nodded and quickly escaped to his room. Once Itachi was well out of earshot, he turned to his wife. "Mikoto, do not question my judgement. I want him to be the most powerful Uchiha head since Madara, he will begin his training now."

Mikoto snarled. All of her proper housewife etiquette went flying out the window. "He's still a toddler Fugaku. Toddlers should not be trained to be assassins. Both of us began our training when we were at least six, have pity!"

Fugaku stood up, towering at least four inches above Mikoto.

"I am your husband and the leader of this clan." He stated, his tone full of authority, "All Uchiha, regardless of their visual prowess or raw skill, obey the Clan Head. Including you."

Mikoto shot Fugaku one last piercing glare and stomped to the training grounds. She had steam to blow off.

X

Mikoto received more good news the following year. It was late November when her second son's birth was announced. Her pregnancy had conveniently corresponded with Kushina's and they were going through the pains of pregnancy together.

"Naruto's gonna kill me by the end of these nine months!" Kushina whined, patting her large belly, "I swear! I'm always hungry so I go and eat a ton. Of course, I just end up puking it up the next morning, making the hell cycle go on for eternity. I would like this baby to be evacuated from my womb thank you."

Mikoto sighed, nodding in acknowledgment. "My baby's no walk in the park either." She added, tucking her long black hair behind her ear. "Morning sickness is really a killer, and so is getting comfortable in bed! There is no correct way to lie."

Kushina nodded, walking into Ichiraku's. Minato was sitting on one of the stools with two bowls of piping hot ramen sitting in front of him.

"I knew I'd see you here Kushina." He said, handing her a bowl of ramen. His eyes turned to Mikoto. "Ah! I didn't know you'd bring Mikoto along! Have my ramen, please!"

Mikoto giggled at the sight of the newly appointed fourth hokage handing her a bowl of ramen in an extremely flustered manner.

"It's okay Minato, really." She said sincerely, handing the bowl back to him, "I'll order my own."

X

"What'll we name him?" Fugaku asked, "It's almost his due date."

"Sasuke." Mikoto announced. "After Hashirama's grandfather."

"No, no." Fugaku argued, "Izuna. We really should name him that."

"I disagree."

"Mikoto please."

"I'm pushing this little being out of my vagina. I get priority."

"Mikoto…"

"My vagina."

X

Sasuke's birth was far more grueling than Itachi's. Mikoto was drenched in sweat, and Fugaku's hand was nearly broken (from Mikoto's vicious squeezing) at the end of it. Pain and broken bones aside, they had a beautiful baby boy. Sasuke had hardly been born a month when a terrible event occurred.

Mikoto handed Sasuke to Itachi, fear evident in her eyes.

"Honey, I have an extremely important thing to do right now." She hugged both of her sons fiercely, "Take good care of your brother."

Fugaku was already on the battlefield, leading the police force. It was her turn.

She didn't know all the details about the attack. All she knew was that the Kyuubi was attacking the village and every shinobi, active duty or not, had to defend their village. Mikoto was no different.

She spent the majority of the time attempting to tame the beast with her sharingan, along with all of the advanced sharingan users of the Uchiha clan. While doing that, she didn't witness what had happened to Kushina. She didn't hear until morning and her face turned grey to hear how Kushina had survived the tailed beast extraction but died when being pierced by the Kyuubi's claw along with Minato. All that was left behind was their newborn son Naruto.

X

Mikoto sat quietly at Kushina's funeral, her face full of disbelief. The two had planned their whole life out together. From the time they were thirteen, they had a timeline. Since Uzumakis lived longer, Kushina and Mikoto would live until 100 then die together, regardless of who had more life left in them. Mikoto stared at Kushina's casket, realizing that their plan had failed. Miserably.

"She died a martyr." Fugaku said, trying to console his wife. "You shouldn't grieve."

"You don't understand!" She hissed, "She's gone, and nothing you say will ameliorate it."

Mikoto walked up to the casket and took one last look at her best friend. Her body had been cleaned and she lay peacefully beside the love of her life. Her face had lost its color and blushing cheeks that Mikoto had become accustomed to and her hair lay limply by her side instead of the voluminous head of bright red hair that surrounded her daily. Mikoto clasped her cold dead hand.

"Our plan failed." She whispered, "We'll have to try again. In the next life."

No tears fell from Mikoto's face that day. She had to look strong around company and she knew that if she started crying, she wouldn't be able to stop.

Many, many people died after the Kyuubi attack, the majority being Uchiha. Mikoto sat through at least five funerals that day, two of which belonged to her brothers.

She didn't show her true feelings until the next day when she went to the graveyard on her own. She knelt by Kushina's grave and wept. All she could think of was the bright red of her hair fluttering in the wind as she turned, the way she would play pranks on all of the academy professors then spend the rest of the day cleaning the school, how she would beat up anyone who said anything remotely rude about Mikoto her herself, the way she looked at Minato the day he proposed, and the way she would always stand up for Mikoto and support her in every way possible. Mikoto was so deep in her memories, she didn't notice Katsuro approach behind her. When she saw her former teammate, she hastily dried her eyes.

"I know." She whispered, "Shinobi don't cry."

Katsuro looked at her, tears streaming down his face. He shook his head. "I n-never liked that rule anyway." He muttered, his voice shaking, "I-I'm sorry Mikoto. I never thought-Kushina-she was your b-best friend."

Mikoto smiled sadly and gave her teammate a teary embrace. "It's okay Katsuro. She was incredibly strong. She even lasted the tailed beast extraction, she was an Uzumaki after all." Mikoto looked at Minato's grave and a new round of tears came pouring down her cheeks. She remembered all the awkward moments she had shared with Minato. All the times she had kicked his ass in sparring, just to see him grow up and become the Hokage, the time he had hastily offered his bowl of ramen, and when he asked Mikoto for Kushina's hand in marriage instead of Kushina's father since he was dead.

"At least she's with someone she loves." Mikoto ran her hand gently along the gravestone. Snow had just begun to fall, and this winter wasn't going to go the way she had planned. She was supposed to sit with Kushina and have hot cocoa while Minato and Fugaku discussed clan business and their new sons. Instead, she would be spending this winter alone with Fugaku. But she couldn't show too much sadness. She had two sons to raise.

X

Mikoto tried to be the best mother she could to both Itachi and Sasuke. She sparred with Itachi, noticing how his skill quickly flourished, and she raised Sasuke the best she could.

Recently, she had been noticing that something was up. Itachi had never been a smiley kid but he was never blatantly cold. Not only him, but Fugaku too. They were both acting distant and rude towards her and Sasuke.

Mikoto placed the elaborate dinner on the table, expecting Fugaku to thank her and eat the meal with much gusto. Instead he scowled.

"If you keep making such elaborate meals, our children will not be used to the small rations you get on the battlefield." He chastised, "Stop spoiling them!"

"Did you just get angry at me for cooking food that was too good?" She asked, slightly bemused.

"Do not mock me!" Fugaku shot back, "I am the patriarch in this family and I will be respected. Do you understand?"

Sasuke let out a small whimper. He was not used to seeing his parents fight. In all of his eight years, Mikoto and Fugaku had been nothing but kind to each other. He could tell life was changing.

"Mother," Itachi started, his voice quiet, "listen to Father, he has authority."

Mikoto looked taken aback. "Itachi, this is not your fight, don't interfere."

Both Fugaku and Itachi excused themselves from the table without another word.

"I have important issues to discuss with my son." Fugaku said, leaving his still full plate on the table.

X

Mikoto looked disbelievingly at her husband. The Uchiha were pulling a coup d'etat?! There was no way they'd be able to get away with it, and there was no way she would, as a Konoha jonin, go along with it.

"Anata," she started, using the most endearing term she could, "I don't know if this is the best idea. You filed a complaint to the Hokage and you know how long it takes for change to happen. Please anata, be patient."

Fugaku shot her a piercing glare. "Change will not happen. Not unless we force it to happen. As my wife, you will follow me. Without complaint."

"Please!" Mikoto cried. She fell to knees in front of Fugaku, "Please, you can't go through with this!"

"Get up!" Fugaku commanded, "I will not tolerate unfaithfulness. Especially not from my wife. Get up!"

Mikoto stood up and straightened her nightgown. "I don't agree with this Fugaku." She muttered. "But if the clan head deems it the right choice, what power do I have to oppose it?"

"Good." Fugaku left the bedroom.

X

The day of the coup d'etat grew nearer, and Mikoto got more nervous than she ever had. Fugaku moved through the days, growing more and more excitedly anxious. Mikoto had a horrible sinking feeling about the oncoming coup. The snow was late that year and the weatherman suspected that it wouldn't come at all.

The coup d'etat was to happen in two days now. Sasuke was off at school and Fugaku was working his ass off making sure there were no kinks in the plan. The entire Uchiha clan had given their unanimous support and much to Mikoto's dismay, were gung ho for going through with it. Mikoto sat silently in her room, staring at her genin photo. She laughed lightly at the way that she was standing tall and proud like a shinobi, Katsuro was smiling lightly, and Kushina was grinning like a psycho. It was such a great depiction of her team. The fact that Konoha as she knew it was about to end, brought her to the brink of tears.

The evening came quickly, and the unsettling feeling of dread got stronger. Mikoto wanted to run as far away as she could, something was bothering her. Maybe it was that Itachi hadn't come home yet. It was really late for him. He hadn't even mentioned going on a mission.

X

The first screams rang out through the Uchiha district. Mikoto expected Fugaku to go running outside and attempt to quell what ever was wrong, but he exited his room looking almost relieved.

"The coup has been foiled." He stated without a hint of disappointment or anger in his voice. "Itachi was sent to massacre the Uchiha clan. Let's make it easier on him and show no resistance."

Mikoto opened her mouth to protest, but decided against it. "It's for the best."

Fugaku smeared a thick paste on his arm and waited for the general anesthetic to kick in. Once he was satisfied, he lowered himself onto his knees and beckoned Mikoto to sit next to him.

"Would you like the anesthetic as well anata?" He asked softly.

"I have a few words I want to say to Itachi. I'm sorry-"

Fugaku cut her off by planting his lips firmly on hers. "I love you Mikoto." He whispered after pulling away from her.

"I do too anata." This time Mikoto really meant it. The same way that Kushina died next to someone she truly loved, Mikoto would too.

Fugaku took his kunai and slit his numb wrist. He let his head fall onto Mikoto's lap as his dark red blood spilled onto the floor. Mikoto caressed her husband's head as he gently faded from the world.

Itachi entered the room, his teeth clenched and katana bloody.

"Itachi." Mikoto whispered sweetly, "I know what you have to do. Remember sweetie, I will always, always love you."

"Father-" he started noticing how only Mikoto remained alive. "Mother I'm sorry." Itachi's eyes filled with clear tears. He raised his katana and thrust it through his mother's heart, killing her almost instantly.

As Mikoto's conscious faded, she realized what had been nagging in the back of her mind when Kushina had first held Itachi. She remembered learning about the Uzumaki's slight prophetic tendencies. How they seemed to know what type of relationship one would have with another before anything even happened.

You cheater. Mikoto thought as her vision faded. You always knew everything didn't you Kushina.

With that final thought, Mikoto went to join her best friend.


End file.
